Switch stand



July 24, 1923. 1,463,140

F. c:. ANDERSON SWITCH STAND Filed March 12, 1923 Patented July 24, 1923.

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FRANK C. ANDERSON, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN.VALVE AND METER COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

SWITCH STAND.

Application filed March 12, 1923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK C. ANonnsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch Stands, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to ground-lever par allel-throw switch stands in general; and more particularly, in certain respects, to the switch-stand disclosed and claimed in my Patent No. 1,427,082, dated August 29, 1922.

Its object is to simplify and economize in the construction of switchstands of this character. A further object is to reduce the height of the stand, not only economizing in material, but making it less of an obstruction alongside the track where the railway operatives must pass, thus contributing further to their safety. Other objects will appear in the course of the ensuing description.

I attain these objects by the device illustrated, for example, in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a sectional plan view of the switch-stand, the section being through the casing on the plane of the line 11 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a sectional front elevation, the partial vertical section being on the plane of the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical front-to-rear section on the plane of the line 3--3 of Fig. 2, but with the parts in mid position;

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the rack;

Fig. 5 is a similar view of the intermediate crank arm;

Fig. 6 is a similar view of the switohthrowing-crank shaft;

Fig. is a similar view of the switchthrowing-crank arm; and

Fig. 8 is a similar view of one of the lever rests.

The base of the stand comprises the middle part 1, feet 2 at opposite ends, bolt sock-- ets 3, front shaft bearing 4, segmental rear extension 5 with bearing opening 6, depres Serial No. 624,496.

section, with its ends in transverse openings of the pedestals 8, thus extending across the base above the rear partof the depression 7, up some distance from the top of the flat middle part 1 of the base, more similar to that disclosed in my Patent No. 1,447,611, dated March 6, 1923.

The casing, like that in the previous inventions mentioned, comprises the front shaft bearing 10, rear extension with the bearing opening 11 in its top, and bolt cars 12 registering with the bolt sockets 3 of the base, and being held down on the base by bolts 13 through'ears on the base and" easing at opposite sides of the frontbearings 4 and 10, and bolts 13 in the base sockets 3 and up through the ears 12.

Also similar to those of the previously noted inventions, the handle-lever 14 has at its free end the weight-handle 15, and at its other end, preferably forged integral with this lever, the crank-shaft 16, lying. in

the bearings 4 and 10 and extending back over the front part of the depression 7.

The handle-lever crank 17 comprises a hub 18 fitting on the inner end of the shaft 16 and held thereon by a key-pin 17 and a transverse pin 17", and near its free end has the rearwardly extending crank-pin 19 on a radius with the radius ofpthe lever 14. Preferably, this pin is surrounded by a rotatable bushing 19.

The rack or slide member 20 comprises an upright transverse middle part 21 and horizontal jaw 22 extending back from the top of this middle part 21, front upright guides 23, parallel to each other at opposite edges of the middle part 21, and a lower rear horizontal jaw 24. The jaw 22 and this jaw 24 spaced down therefrom have vertically alined holes 25 at the middle of the-member with their front ends joining the edges of the middle part or wall 21 and rear edges of the front guides 23; these side walls '26 having openings 27 in horizontal alinement transversely of the member 20, up a short distance from the bottom thereof. The crank 17 has its pin 19 between the guides 23.

The target-shaft or switch-throwingcrank shaft 28 has a diametrical bore 29 receiving the intermediate-crank arm 30,

which is cylindrical to fit the bore snugly but slidingly, but has its front. end fiat tened and widened, forming an eye 31 fitting between the top element'22 and jawv 24 of the rack to turn on the intermediate-crank pin 32, which is inserted up through the openings 25 with its head 32" up against the bottom of the lower jaw 24. The horizontal guide-bar 9 is received through the horizontally alined openings 27 of the rack 20, guiding the rack rectilinearly transversely of the stand; the crank-pin 32 being hold up in its place by its head against the top of this bar 9. Preferably, the crank-pin 32 does not extend up to the top of the top element 22, but leaves a shallow recess 33 thereat, to receive and hold lubricant for the crank-pin bearing and also the guide-bar hearing, as the lubricant leaks from the crank-pin hearing. The lubricant is supplied through'either one oftwo holes 33' in the casing top, accordingly as the parts are near one or the other jeiid of the guide-bar 9. Similarly, the shaft 28, which has a reduced journal part 34 in the casing'bearing openingll, has a lubricant passage 35 down through the shoulder thus formed on the shaftginto thecrankarm opening 29 'at the sides, one or the other registering with a single middle hole 35' in the casing in front of the bearing opening 11 as the shaft turns through 90. Thelower end part of the shaft 28 extends down through and bears in the base bearing opening 6, with an annular flange 36 hearing in a depression 87 formed in the rear segmental part 5 of the base around this opening 6; this depression catching lubricant from the upper parts for supplying it down into the lower bearing 6.

The bottom of this part of the base has the downwardly projected hub 88 added to this bearing 6; and below this hub the shaft 28 has the diametrical threaded opening 3.9., into which is screwedthe switch-throwing crank arm 40, having at one end the flattened and widened eye 41 which is straddled by the members of the forked switcheconnectingrod 42, part of which shown with the pin 43 down through vertiea lly alined openings in the fork mem he s. and roug h ey p n g register ing therewith. This pin is kept down, in

' practical operation, by the bottom of the base land by rear extensions 44 of the base, which have the slots 45 at opposite d s of the crank bearing through which 43 may beinserted-when the crank is in a ,mid position at either side of the bearing, accordingly as the crank connection inustb einade to a switch in one direction or the other, as fully disclosed and claimed inmy Patent No. 1,389,780, dated September 6, 1921. The crank-arm 40 may be screwed in or out to shorten or lengthen the throw of the crank, for different switches, or to compensate for wear; and

may be removed and screwedinto the shaft 28 from the opposite side, for switches connected in the opposite direction, as will be understood.

The rear part of the bottom of thed'cpression 7 of the base 1 is higher than the front part which receives the crank 17 at either end of its throw; this part forming a table 46 from end to end of the depres sion, on which ride the bottoms of the front upright guides 23 of the rack member 20,

so that this member substantially does not tilt on its single round guide-bar 9. This tilting also is opposed by the rather close bearing of the eye 31 between the elements 22 and 24 of the rack 20, and the snug sliding fit of thecrank-arm 30, of which the eye 31 is an integral part, in the shaft opening 29. Conversely, this rack 20, held down by the bar 9, holds the shaft 28 down, by v cording to my Patent No. 1,427,082, firstabove mentioned.

To receive the handle-lever 14 at either end of its throw, the lever-rests 51 are provided, to rest on'the ties or head blocks, not shown. Each lever-rest 51 has the base 52 extended back under the respective foot 2 of the base 1. in a recess 53 formed in the bottom of the front part of the foot; and this base 52 of the lever-rest has near itsrear end a spike-openi1ig 54 registering with the front spike-opening 55 of the base foot 2 and fits rather snugly in the foot recess 53 at its sides. It thus is fixed-in operative position by a single spike through the registering openings 54 and 55, which is one of the six spikes usually employed to hold the stand down on its head blocks; the other spikes being driven through the rear spike-openings 5,6 and the end. spike recess 57 of each foot 2. By thus securing stand is much reduced, as compared with my previous inventions, and with other prior switch-stands; the intermediate-crank arm, movably connected to the direct-switchthrowing crank shaft 28 as well as to the rack 20, being down within the limits of the upright length of the guideway for the handle-lever crank 17, instead ofabove that, as in my prior inventions. v This permits a much smaller casing, which thus may economically be made of stronger material, as malleable iron instead of gray iron casting, permitting further reduction in bulk and weight; so that the entire construction may be made extremely light, compact and siniple, yet strong and elfective in operation, where a stand is required to hold without latches, avoiding the expense of those, and making the stand very convenient where the switch must be thrown frequently, as in railway yards. Its low-down construction further adds to its usefulness insuch places, where the switchmen must move about in great haste, alongside the moving cars and engines, so that any undue obstruction, making them more liable to stumble, is very undesirable.

It will be understood that other forms of direct-switcbthrowing crank may be substituted, such as shown in. my prior patents mentioned, or otherwise known in the art, for quick adjustment or reversal, or ready repair; that shown herein merely being an example. Other modifications of the invention may occur, according to conditions encountered, and while I have shown and dc-. scribed specifically certain details, I do not wish to be understood as being limited there to, but, having thus fully described my in vention, what I claim as new and'desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a switch-stand, mechanism comprising a lever and rack-actuating means coaxially connected, a rack engaged by said rack-actuating means, a switch-throwing crank, and an intermediate crank arm pivoted to said rack and; radially slidably connected to said switch-throwing crank for I'OtitlOn thereof incident to sliding of said rac 2. In a switch-stand, mechanism comprising a lever and rack-actuating means coaxially connected, a rack engaged by said rack-actuating means, a switch-throwing crank, a shaft for said crank, and an intermediate crank arm pivoted to said rack and radially slidably engaging said shaft for rotation thereof and of said switch-throwing crank incident to sliding of said rack.

3. In a switch-stand, mechanism comprising a lever and a crank coaxially connected, a rack engaged by said crank, a switchthrowing crank, and an intermediate crank arm pivoted to saidv rack and radially slidably connected to said switch-throwing crank for rotation thereof incident to sliding of said rack by said clever-connected crank.

4. In a switch-stand, mechanism comprising a lever and a crank coaxially connected, a rack engaged. by said crank, a switchthrowing, crank, a shaft for said switch throwing crank, and an intermediate crank an, intermediate crank arm pivoted to said rack and radially slidably connected to said switch-throwing crank for rotation thereof incident to sliding of said rack.

6. In a switch-stand, mechanism comprising a lever and a crank coaxially connected, a rack engaged by said crank, a single round guide bar on which said rack slides, means parallel with and below said bar, said rack havingits part engaged by said crank extended down and slidably hearing on saidparallel means, a switch-throw ingcrank, and an intermediate crank arm pivoted tosaid rack and radially slidably connected'to said switch-throwing crank for rotation thereof" incident to sliding of said rack by said lever-connected crank.

7. In a-switch-stand, mechanism compris ing a lever and a crank coaxiallyconnected, a rack engaged by said crank, comprising upright guides receiving the engaging part of the crank, opposite transverse jaws one above the other, and side walls below said jaws, a guide bar fitting slidably through said walls, a'switch-throwing crank, and an intermediate crank arm pivoted to said rack between said j aws and radially slidably connectedto said switch-throwing crank for rotation thereof incident to sliding of said rack by said crank.

8. In a switch-stand, mechanism comprising a lever and a crank coaxially connected, a rack comprising upright guides between which said crank engages, opposite trans verse jaws one above the other and side walls below the jaws, a single round guide bar fitting slidably through said, walls, means below and parallel with said guide bar, said guides extending down and bearing on this means, a switch-throwing crank, a shaft for said crank, and an intermediate crank-arm pivoted to said rack between said jaws and slidably engaging said shaft for rotation of said shaft and switch-throwing crank incident to sliding of said rack by said leverconnected crank.

9. In a switch-stand, a lever and a crank coaxially connected, and means comprising a rack engaged by said crank, an arm pivoted to said rack, and a shaft in which said. arm slides radially to rotate said shaft.

' said base, a rack engaged by said crank, up-

standing means on 'said base, and a guide bar on said means, on which said rack slides, a shaft journaled in said base, and an arm sliding radially in said shaft and pivoted to said rack. v i

11. I11 a switch-stand, a rack member com;- prising upright guides and transverse jaws one above the other.

12. Ina switch-stand, a rack member comprising upright guides, transverse jaws one above the other, and guiding bearing means below saidjaws. v

13. In a switch stand, a rack member comprising upright guides, transverse jaws one above the other, and guiding bearing means below a d j ws, sa u s exte b low said bearing means to form additional a in m an ll. In a switch-stand, a rack member comprising upright guides for engagement of a crank, and transverse jaws 011, above the other, and a round arm with a flat head pivoted between said jaws.v

'15. In a switch-stand, a shaft having a diametral opening to slidably receive an operative connection, and a crank on said shaft, spaced away from said opening axially of the shaft. j

16. In a switch-stand, a shaft having a diametral opening to slidably receive an operative connection, and having a threaded diametral opening to adjustably receive a second operative connection.

17, In switchrstand, a shaft having a diametral opening to slidably receive an ,operative connection, and having lubricant passages leading into said opening at opposite sides thereof, and a bearing element for said shaft having a single. lubricant passage with which one or the otherof said shaft passages registers as the shaft is turned one way or theother. f

18. In a switch-stand, a rack member having transverse jaws one above the other, an element between said jaws, and a pivot pin through said element and the lower one of said jaws, and extending only partly through the upper jaw, leaving a lubricant receptacle.

19. In a switch-stand, a rack member hav- 7 ing lateral bearing means, a bar on which sald bearing means hear for guldmg said rack, ]aWs on sald rack, one above the, other,

above said bar, an element between said with the support opening for. passage of a common fastening means for said support and the lever rest. V

21. In a switch-stand, mechanism comprising a lever and a support for said lever having a recess in its :bottom and an opening for fastening means entering from the top of the support into said recess, and a rest for said lever extend ng into said recess and fittlng along the side of the recess, having an opening registering with th pp t pen, 1:

ing for passage of a common fastening means for said support and the lever rest, said lever rest being prevented from swinging laterally on said fastening means by the sides of, the recess.

FRANK ANDERSON. V 

